Japanese Subchasers

KUSENTEI!

IJN Subchaser CH-12: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2005-2018 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 10

1 January 1938:
Yokohama. Laid down at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. shipyard.
13 September 1938:
Launched and numbered CH-12.
9 May 1939:
Completed and registered in the Kure Naval District.
7 December 1941: Operation "M" - The Invasion of the Northern Philippines:
CH-12 is assigned to Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Hirose Sueto's (39) (former CO of AOBA) 2nd Base Force of Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo's (36) (former CO of KIRISHIMA) Third Fleet and attached to the Philippines Seizure Force in Cdr Sawamura Seiji's (49) SubChasDiv 31 with CH-10 and CH-11. At 1630, departs Mako, Pescadores.
10 December 1941:
Participates in the landings at Vigan, Philippines. Assigned to Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Nishimura Shoji's (39) (former CO of HARUNA) 2nd Raiding Force consisting of light cruiser NAKA (F), destroyers HARUSAME, MURASAME, YUDACHI and SAMIDARE (DesDiv 2); ASAGUMO, MINEGUMO and NATSUGUMO (DesDiv 4), MinesweepDiV 21 consisting of minesweepers W-9, W-10, W-11 and W-12; MineSweeping Div 30 consisting of W-17 and W-18, SubChaserDiv 31 consisting of CH-10, CH-11 and CH-12. CH-4 is attached to SubChaserDiv 21 consisting of CH-4, CH-5, CH-6, CH-16, CH-17 and CH-18. This force escorts a total of 6 transports namely OIGAWA, BRISBANE, TAKAO, HAWAII, SHUNKO and SANKO MARUs.
Luzon, Philippines. The Six transports, carrying 2,000 men of the Kanno Detachment of the 48th Infantry Division, land troops near Vigan, but are bombed and strafed by five Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortresses" and escorting Seversky P-35A "Guardsman" and Curtiss P-40B "Kittyhawk" fighters of the U. S. Army's Far East Air Force. During the action, a minesweeper is sunk and two transports are so damaged they have to be beached.
7 January 1942: The Invasion of Dutch Borneo:
Rear-Admiral Hirose’s Tarakan Occupation Force departs Davao. Hirose's force include SubChasDiv 31’s CH-12, CH-10 and CH-11, patrol boats PB-36, PB-37 and PB-38, Minesweeper Division 11’s minesweepers W-13, W-14, W-15, W-16, 30th Minesweeper Division’s W-17, W-18 and other auxiliary ships.
The Tarakan invasion convoy includes Army transports TSURUGA, LIVERPOOL, HAVANA, KURETAKE, NICHIAI, HITERU, TEIRYU, HANKOW and EHIME MARUs carrying MajGen Sakaguchi Shizuo’s 56th Mixed Infantry Group and the Kure No. 2 Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) and Navy transports KUNIKAWA, KANO, KAGU, KOKUYO and RAKUTO MARUs. The convoy’s escort is provided by Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Nishimura Shoji’s DesRon 4’s light cruiser NAKA with DesDiv 2’s HARUSAME, SAMIDARE, YUDACHI and MURUSAME, DesDiv 9’s ASAGUMO and MINEGUMO, NATSUGUMO and DesDiv 24’s UMIKAZE, KAWASKAZE, YAMAKAZE and SUZUKAZE. The 21st Air Flotilla’s tenders SANUKI and SANYO MARUs provide air cover .
10 January 1942:
At 1405, CH-11 and CH-12 capture the Dutch 60-ton tug PARSIFAL, that had been sent to assist the lightvessel TARAKAN (ex ZWALUW) based 15 miles east of Tarakan and acting as an air warning vessel. At 2000, they anchor in Tarakan Bay, NE Borneo.
11 January 1942:
Rear Admiral Hirose's Force invades Tarakan, Borneo.
21 January 1942: The Invasion of Balikpapan, Borneo.
Rear Admiral Hirose's Balikpapan Invasion Convoy departs Tarakan. It consists of 16 transports carrying the Sakaguchi Brigade and the Kure No. 2 SNLF escorted by DesRon 4 and Hirose’s No. 2 Base Force. Close escort is provided by SubChasDiv 31's CH-12, CH-10 and CH-11, patrol boats PB-36, PB-37 and PB-38, minesweepers W-16, W-17 and W-18. Cover is provided by light cruiser NAKA with DesDiv 2's YUDACHI, SAMIDARE, HARUSAME, DesDiv 9's ASAGUMO, MURASAME, MINEGUMO, NATSUGUMO and DesDiv 24's KAWAKAZE, YAMAKAZE and UMIKAZE. SANUKI and SANYO MARUs again provide air cover.
23 January 1942:
At 2045, Hirose's invasion convoy arrives and anchors off Balikpapan.
24 January 1942:
At 0030 K-XVIII Dutch Ltz. I (LtCdr) Carel A. J. van Well Groeneveld's (former CO of K-XIV) submarine K-XVIII, operating on the surface due to weather is first spotted from NAKA, but the lookouts misidentify her as a torpedo boat. CH-12 is however detached to investigate the contact. At 0035, K-XVIII fires four bow torpedoes at NAKA. Two pass under NAKA and hit passenger-cargo ship TSURUGA MARU that sinks about 0600 at 00-10N, 118-0E.38 troops and 1 crewman were killed.
Makassar Strait, off Samarinda. At 0652 CH-12 reported that a torpedo had passed below her keel, again from K-XVIII. A periscope was sighted next and CH-12 conducted a depth-charge attack, claiming the submarine as sunk. During the day's action, K-XVIII is heavily damaged by depth-charges. K-XVIII is unable to dive and van Well Groeneveld is forced to return to Surabaya for repairs.
18 February 1942: Operation "J" - The Invasion of Java, Netherlands East Indies:
CH-12 and Rear Admiral Hirose's 2nd Base Force depart Camranh Bay, Indochina with Vice Admiral Takahashi's Western Java Seizure Force. Takahashi's force consists of 56 troop transports carrying the 2nd Infantry Division for the invasion of Bantam Bay and Merak, Java. Light cruisers YURA and NATORI and seaplane tender SANYO MARU provide escort. CruDiv 7's MOGAMI, MIKUMA, SUZUYA and KUMANO provide cover.
10 March 1942:
Assigned to Vice Admiral Takahashi's Southwest Area Fleet's newly formed Third Southern Expeditionary Fleet in Special Base Force 31 organized at Manila. CH-12 engages in the blockade of Manila Bay .
2 April 1942:
CH-11 and CH-12 both arrive at Olongapo.
3 April 1942:
Both submarine chasers depart Olongapo and return to the blockade.
17 April 1942:
Arrives at Olongapo.
19 April 1942:
Departs Olongapo and returns to the blockade.
3 May 1942:
At 1838 arrives at Olongapo.
5 May 1942:
At 0800 departs Olongapo and at 1100 resumes patrolling off the Manila Bay entrance.
8 May 1942:
At 1000 CH-10 and CH-12 both cease patrolling and at 1410 arrive at Olongapo.
9 May 1942:
With the fall of Corregidor three days previous, at 0600 CH-10, CH-11 and CH-12 all depart Olongapo and at 1312 enter Manila Bay.
11 May 1942:
At 1517 CH-10, CH-11 and CH-12 all depart Manila Bay.
May 1942:
Reassigned to the Kure Guard Unit based at Saeki (nominally from 1 May). Conducts anti-submarine patrols in the Bungo Straits.
6 August 1942:
CH-10, CH-11 and CH-12 all depart Maizuru.
7 August 1942:
CH-12 arrives off Hesaki and anchors.
8 August 1942:
CH-12 departs Hesaki and later that day arrives at Saiki.
10 August 1942:
CH-12 departs Saiki on an anti submarine training exercise. Later CH-10 and CH-11 join CH-12.
12 August 1942:
CH-10, CH-11 and CH-12 all arrive back at Saiki.
14 August 1942:
CH-12 departs Saiki on an anti submarine sweep.
15 August 1942:
Arrives at Sukumo.
16 August 1942:
Departs Sukumo on a further anti submarine sweep.
17 August 1942:
Arrives at Saiki.
18 August 1942:
Departs Saiki on an anti submarine sweep.
20 August 1942:
Arrives at Sukumo.
21 August 1942:
Departs Sukumo on patrol.
22 August 1942:
Arrives at Sukumo.
23 August 1942:
Departs Sukumo on patrol.
24 August 1942:
CH-10, CH-11 and CH-12 arrive at Saiki.
31 August 1942:
Departs Saiki on patrol but later that day returns to Saiki.
1 September 1942:
Departs Saiki on patrol.
2 September 1942:
Arrives back at Saiki.
3 September 1942:
Departs Saiki on patrol.
4 September 1942:
Arrives at Fukuura.
5 September 1942:
Departs Fukuura on patrol.
7 September 1942:
Arrives back at Saiki and departs later that day.
8 September 1942:
Arrives back at Saiki.
9 September 1942:
Departs Saiki on patrol.
10 September 1942:
Arrives at Nagahama.
12 September 1942:
Departs Nagahama with CH-11 and later that day arrives at Saiki.
14 September 1942:
Departs Saiki on patrol.
15 September 1942:
Arrives at Fukuura.
16 September 1942:
Departs Fukuura and arrives back at Saiki.
17 September 1942:
Departs Saiki on patrol.
18 September 1942:
Arrives back at Saiki.
22 September 1942:
Departs Saiki on patrol.
25 September 1942:
Arrives back at Saiki.
26 September 1942:
Departs Saiki on patrol.
27 September 1942:
Arrives at Furue and departs later that day.
28 September 1942:
Arrives back at Saiki and departs on patrol later that day.
29 September 1942:
Arrives back at Saiki.
2 October 1942:
CH-12 departs Saiki for Rabaul, New Britain with subchasers CH-10 and CH-11 escorting convoy OKI-6 consisting of HAVANA, TOYO, EHIME, YASUKUNI and SUMIYOSHI MARUs.

4 October 1942:
CH-12 arrives back at Saiki.
5 October 1942:
Departs Saiki on patrol.
6 October 1942:
Returns to Saiki.
7 October 1942:
Departs Saiki on an anti submarine sweep.
8 October 1942:
Returns to Saiki.
16 October 1942:
Reassigned to the 4th Base Force. Escorts convoys near Truk.
2 November 1942:
At 0605 CH-10, CH-11 and CH-12 depart Truk on an anti submarine sweep.
4 November 1942:
At 1820 arrives back at Truk.
6 November 1942:
At 1225 CH-10, CH-11 and CH-12 depart Truk on a further anti submarine sweep.
7 November 1942:
At 1330 CH-12 returns alone to Truk where the ship remains for the rest of the month.
3 December 1942:
At 0700 departs Truk on an escort mission. At 1500 arrives back at Truk.
6 December 1942:
At 0410 departs Truk on an anti submarine sweep.
10 December 1942:
At 1645 arrives back at Truk.
16 December 1942:
At 0450 departs Truk on an anti submarine sweep.
23 December 1942:
At 0630 arrives back at Truk.
24 December 1942:
At 1600 dewparts Truk.
25 December 1942:
At 1300 returns to Truk.
30 December 1942:
At 1530 departs Truk on an anti submarine sweep.
6 January 1943:
At 1040 arrives at Truk escorting a convoy.
8 January 1943:
At 0945 departs Truk on an escort mission.
10 January 1943:
At 0815 arrives at Truk.
13 January 1943:
At 0430 departs Truk on an escort mission.
14 January 1943:
At 1115 arrives back at Truk.
17 January 1943:
At 1200 departs Truk on an escort mission.
19 January 1943:
At 0900 arrives back at Truk.
20 January 1943:
At 0800, CH-12 departs Truk with destroyer HAMAKAZE and auxiliary gunboat CHOKO MARU No. 2 escorting convoy “D” consisting of KAMO, TAIMEI, SHINRYU, MACASSAR and SHICHISEI MARUs.
22 January 1943 :
Steffen Straits. CH-12 and CHOKO MARU No. 2 are detached. CH-18 and CH-22 take over as escort. At 1200, CH-12 joins the escort of a convoy consisting of KAIHEI, TAIFUKU and NANKAI MARUs inbound to Truk from Rabaul escorted by CH-18 and CH-22. Shortly thereafter, CH-18 and CH-22 are detached.
24 January 1943:
At 0730 arrives at Truk.
26 January 1943:
At 0640 departs Truk's south channel escorting a convoy consisting of KAIHEI and ASAYAMA (CHOZEN) MARUs enroute to Saipan.
27 January 1943:
CH-12 detaches from the convoy at 08-28N, 117-13 E and returns to Truk. Undertakes a further escort mission en route.
31 January 1943:
At 1320 arrives back at Truk.
2 February 1943:
At 1000 departs Truk on an escort mission.
5 February 1943:
At 1600 arrives back at Truk.
9 February 1943:
At 0615 departs Truk on an escort mission.
11 February 1943:
At 1330 arrives back at Truk.
17 February 1943:
At 0900 departs Truk on an escort mission. Meets storeship MAMIYA at sea.
19 February 1943:
At 1240 arrives back at Truk escorting storeship MAMIYA.
22 February 1943:
At 2300 departs Truk to a disaster scene to investigate and rescue survivors.[possibly destroyer OSHIO lost to torpedo attack by USS ALBACORE on 20th off Manus Island]
27 February 1943:
At 0700 arrives back at Truk.
2 March 1943:
At 0800 departs Truk with CH-11, auxiliary gunboat CHOUN MARU and destroyer YUNAGI escorting a convoy consisting of ASAYAMA, TATSUHARU, KIRISHIMA, HOKO, YAMASHIMO MARUs, TENYO MARU No. 2 GO and MIKAGE MARU No. 20. En route CH-11 is detached and returns to Truk.
5 March 1943:
ASAYAMA MARU is detached and proceeds to Saipan. KIMISHIMA MARU and YUNAGI are detached at 11-18N, 142-38E. KIMISHIMA MARU later arrives at Fais, Eastern Carolines.
6 March 1943:
At 1814 arrives at Guam Island (Omiya Jima).
9 March 1943:
At 1700 departs Guam.
10 March 1943:
At 1645 arrives at Saipan.
11 March 1943:
At 0530 departs Saipan on an escort mission.
14 March 1943:
At 0830 arrives at Truk.
25 March 1943:
At 0445 departs Truk.
28 March 1943:
At 1100 arrives at Rabaul.
29 March 1943:
At 1500 departs Rabaul for Truk.
2 April 1943:
At 1645 arrives at Truk. At 2130 departs Truk on an anti submarine sweep.
5 April 1943:
At 1500 in 9-30N 147.40E meets up and undertakes escort duties of HAKUSAN MARU (10330 gt) which is inbound to Truk.
6 April 1943:
At 1745 arrives back at Truk with HAKUSAN MARU.
16 April 1943:
At 1000 departs Truk on an escort mission.
19 April 1943:
At 1700 arrives back at Truk.
30 April 1943:
At 1523 departs Truk on an escort mission.
2 May 1943:
At 0845 arrives back at Truk.
3 May 1943:
At 1200 departs Truk on an escort mission to Nauru.
7 May 1943:
At 0545 arrives at Nauru.
10 May 1943:
At 0920 arrives at Tarawa.
13 May 1943:
At 1100 departs Tarawa on an escort mission.
May 1943:
Reassigned to the 1st Base Force.
18 May 1943:
At 0530 CH-12 arrives at Truk via the Kimijima channel escorting oiler KOKUYO MARU.
26 May 1943:
At 0900 (JST), CH-12 and CH-37 depart Truk for Rabaul escorting seaplane tender KAMIKAWA MARU.
28 May 1943:
N of Kavieng, New Ireland. KAMIKAWA MARU is enroute to Palau. At about 1000 (JST), she is attacked by a B-24 "Liberator" heavy bomber that is driven off.
255 miles NNW of Kavieng, near Emirau Island. KAMIKAWA MARU is attacked by LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Walter G. Ebert's (USNA ’30) USS SCAMP (SS-277). At 1203 (JST) , in a heavy squall, KAMIKAWA MARU is hit by three torpedoes. Abandon Ship is ordered and her crew takes to the lifeboats.
29 May 1943:
At midnight, KAMIKAWA MARU is attacked again by USS SCAMP. At 0016, she takes another torpedo hit portside. At 0021, KAMIKAWA MARU sinks at 01-36S, 150-24 E. 39 crewmwn and three gunners perish. USS SCAMP survives attacks by either CH-12 or CH-37.
3 June 1943:
At 1300, CH-12 and CH-29 depart Rabaul escorting a convoy consisting of MITSU MARU No. 3, KOSHU MARU No. 2, TAKUEI and SHINTOKU MARUs.
5 June 1943:
At 0800, arrives at Shortland. At 1215 departs Shortland with CH-29 escorting an unknown vessel.
7 June 1943:
At 1530, CH-12 and CH-29 depart Shortland escorting a convoy consisting of KOSHU MARU No. 2 and KASHI, TAKUNAN and KISARAGI MARUs.
8 June 1943:
At 0750 CH-12 having detached, arrives back at Shortland.
9 June 1943:
Departs Shortland escorting WAKAMATSU MARU No. 1 and RYOYU MARU No. 21.
10 June 1943:
At 0645 arrives back at Shortland.
11 June 1943:
Again departs Shortland escorting WAKAMATSU MARU No. 1.
12 June 1943:
At 0400 arrives back at Shortland.
13 June 1943:
At 0630 departs Shortland and joins a convoy escorted by minesweeper W-15 consisting of RYOYU MARU No. 21 and WAKAMTSU MARU No. 1.
14 June 1943:
At 0600 arrives at Rabaul.
27 June 1943:
At 1200, CH-12 departs Rabaul escorting a convoy consisting of KASHI, KIRI and KISARAGI MARUs and NISSEN MARU No. 3.
30 June 1943:
At 0500, arrives at Shortland.
1 July 1943:
At 1300 departs Shortland escorting FUKU MARU. Later detaches and returns towards Shortland.
2 July 1943:
At 0700 arrives at Shortland.
3 July 1943:
At 1400 departs Shortland escorting KISARAGI MARU. Later detaches and returns towards Shortland.
4 July 1943:
At 0700 arrives at Shortland.
5 July 1943:
At 1130 departs Shortland escorting KISARAGI MARU. Later detaches and returns towards Shortland.
6 July 1943:
At 0400 arrives at Shortland. At 0500 departs Shortland with CH-30 on an anti submarine patrol and returns at 1140.
8 July 1943:
At 1430 departs Shortland escorting an unidentified fishing boat.
9 July 1943:
At 0513 investigates and disposes of a floating object. At 0845 arrives back at Shortland.
10 July 1943:
At 1500 departs Shortland escorting a fishing boat.
11 July 1943:
At 0730 arrives at Shortland.
12 July 1943:
At 1500 departs Shortland escorting a fishing boat.
13 July 1943:
At 0640 arrives at Shortland.
14 July 1943:
At 1500 departs Shortland escorting a fishing boat.
15 July 1943:
At 0700 arrives at Shortland.
18 July 1943:
At 1500 departs Shortland with minesweepers W-15 and W-22 escorting a convoy consisting of KOSHU MARU No. 2 and SUMIYOSHI MARU.
20 July 1943:
At 0930 arrives at Rabaul.
29 July 1943:
At 1100 departs Rabaul escorting FUJI MARU No. 1 and five unidentified fishing boats.
31 July 1943:
At 2115 arrives back at Shortland.
1 August 1943:
Attacked and damaged by American aircraft at an unknown location.
At 1840, USN codebreakers intercept and decrypt a message from CH-12 that reads: “On 1 August Subchaser No. 12 was damaged in an engagement with enemy planes and ----- Shortland Bay. Comdr. Bismarck Area Defense Force have ------ proceed Shortland Bay where it will engage in the salvage of Subchaser No. 12 ----.”
Later, CH-12 undergoes temporary repairs, then escorts a convoy to Japan. Thereafter, she undergoes repairs at Shikoku Shipbuilding.
27 September 1943:
At 0600 departs Rabaul with CH-30 escorting convoy No. 2274 consisting of IJN supply ship SOYA, IJN requisitioned transport TATSUURA MARU, IJN auxiliary transport OKITSU MARU and auxiliary stores ship TAKUNAN MARU.
28 September 1943:
At 1300 auxiliary storeship TAKUNAN MARU main engine fails and drops behind. Finally stops for repairs. At 1500 repairs are completed and starts catching up.
29 September 1943:
At 1200 TAKUNAN MARU rejoines the convoy.
30 September 1943:
At 0530 TATSUURA MARU main engine fails and is left behind with CH-12 as escort. After repairs are completed both ships catch up and rejoin the convoy at 1200.
2 October 1943:
At 1000 the convoy arrives at Truk.
8 October 1943:
At 0400 departs Truk with cable layer HASHIMA escorting convoy No. 4008 consiting of IJN auxiliary collier/oiler SANKO MARU, IJN auxiliary transport CHOAN MARU No. 2 GO, IJN requisitioned cargo ships (B-AK) TSUNESHIMA and CHIYO MARUs. The convoy sails at 8.5 knots.
9 October 1943:
At 0515, the escort ends and both escorts are detached.
30 March 1944:
CH-12 is reassigned to the 30th Base Force at Palau.
15 April 1944:
At 0600, CH-12 departs Tokyo with CH-10, destroyers HOKAZE, YUNAGI, UZUKI, kaibokan MIYAKE and CD-6, minesweepers W-20 and W-28 and minelayers SARUSHIMA, KYOSAI and YURISHIMA escorting convoy Higashi-Matsu No. 6 consisting of AWAJI, HAKUBA, KATSUKAWA, TAKAOKA, BATAVIA, AWA and HOKUSHIN MARUs bound for Saipan, CHOAN MARU No. 2 and MIKAGE MARU No.1 bound for Truk, JOKUJA, BISAN and JINSAN MARUs bound for Palau, KAMISHIMA and SHOZAN MARUs bound for Wolei, INARI and TONEGAWA MARUs bound for Guam and TATSUAKI and TAMAHOKO MARUs bound for Chichi-Jima.
23 April 1944:
At 0600, arrives at Saipan.
1 May 1944 While nearing Palau, JOKUJA, BISAN and JINSAN MARUs and CH-10 run aground on the N tip of Palau atoll, but later all are successfully refloated.
13 May 1944:
At 0600, CH-12, auxiliary subchasers CHa-32 and CHa-60 depart Palau for Cebu, Philippines escorting a convoy consisting of BISAN (MIYAMA) and JOKUJA MARUs.
14 May 1944:
At 0222, a submarine attacks the convoy and fires three torpedoes at BISAN MARU, but they all miss. At 0552, the convoy is again attacked, this time by Cdr John Corbus' USS BOWFIN (USNA ’30) (SS-287) and LtCdr (later Cdr) Walter P. Schoeni's (USNA ’31) USS ASPRO (SS-309). BISAN MARU, carrying 715 civilian and 269 military personnel, is hit by one or more torpedoes, floods and sinks by the stern at 0840. 83 repatriates and two crewmen are killed. JOKUJA MARU rescues survivors. The subchasers drop about 15 depth charges, but both submarines escape. Later, USS BOWFIN and USS ASPRO share credit for the sinking.
15 May 1944:
At 0314, Schoeni's USS ASPRO torpedoes JOKUJA MARU at 10-10N, 131-32E. She sinks at 1000 NNW of Palau. Seven gunners and four crewmen are killed. The subchasers drop about 12 depth charges, but USS ASPRO safely clears the area.
1 June 1944:
At 0645 departs Palau escorting Naval Landing ship transport T-149 and 1E cargo ships TATSUMATSU and OYASHIMA MARUs. The convoy sails at 8.5 knots.
4 June 1944:
At 1842 the convoy arrives at Sorong.
7 June 1944:
At 1200 arrives Kau escorting Navy Landing Ship transports T-101 and T-102.
8 June 1944:
At 0800 departs Kau for Palau.
30 June 1944:
At 1000, CH-12, CH-35 and kaibokan CD-16 and CD-19 depart Cebu escorting convoy SEPA-01/SEDA-01 consisting of TAMA, OYO and AZUCHISAN MARUs.
1 July 1944:
CH-12, CH-35, kaibokan CD-16, CD-19 and TAMA MARU separate and head for Palau.
4 July 1944:
At 0230, a friendly aircraft crash lands in the sea. CH-35 is detached to rescue its crew and falls behind. At 0352, TAMA MARU is torpedoed and sunk at 07-50N 133-40E in the second of two attacks by LtCdr Carl Tiedeman's (USNA ’33) USS GUAVINA (SS-362). The ship is carrying 544 troops, 321 of whom as well as two escort troops and 11 crewmen are killed.
5 July 1944:
The escorts arrive at Palau alone.
21 July 1944:
At 0700 CH-12 and CH-26 depart Palau for Kau escorting Navy Landing Ship Transport T-149.
22 July 1944:
At 1210 at 06-04N 130-05E is detached and heads towards Davao.
24 July 1944:
At 1400 arrives at Kau.
1 August 1944:
At 1830, CH-12 and auxiliary subchasers CHa-60 and MISAGO MARU depart Davao for Palau escorting convoy No. 1125 consisting of ZUIYO, URUPPU and KOJUN MARUs.
4 August 1944:
W of Palau. The convoy is bombed by B-24 bombers at 07-20N, 131-34E. CHa-60 is hit, but is able to continue.
5 August 1944:
At 1230, arrives at Palau.
13 August 1944:
E of Mindanao. At about 0915, LtCdr (later Captain) Eric L. Barr's (USNA ’34) USS BLUEGILL (SS-242) attacks a convoy consisting of transport KOJUN MARU escorted by CH-12 and auxiliary subchaser MISAGO MARU. Barr hits KOJUN MARU with a torpedo and she sinks by the bow. 15 Japanese repatriates and 27 crewmen perish. During the action, MISAGO MARU is also hit, blows up and sinks taking down five men. The locations of these attacks is 06-17N, 126-10E and with no further information available on CH-12 after this date it is likely she was either sunk or severely damaged in this series of attacks.[2]
30 September 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

Authors' Note:
[1] CNO analysts commented that CH-12 was again operational in the Bismarck-Solomons area about 20 September after possible repairs in the Empire.
[2] Some sources indicate CH-12 was sunk in this engagement; others state she was at Palau at war's end.
Thanks go to the late John Whitman of Virginia, USA for info on CNO intercepts of Japanese messages, Mr Erich Muhlthaler of Germany and to Mr. Gilbert Casse of France for general assistance.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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